1917-D Type 2

The 1917-D Type 2 Standing Liberty quarter is the Denver Mint's first strike of the modified design and a key reference point for collectors comparing branch-mint quality during the design transition. Denver produced 6,224,400 pieces after receiving the revised master hubs midway through the year. That mintage is roughly four times the Type 1 Denver figure, reflecting the longer portion of the year that Type 2 dies were in service. Despite the larger output, surviving Mint State examples with Full Head detail are noticeably scarcer than Philadelphia counterparts, a pattern consistent with branch-mint striking practices of the period. The 1917-D Type 2 is generally affordable in circulated grades and becomes a condition rarity in MS65 and above with Full Head designation, where it commands prices several multiples of equivalent Philadelphia coins.

The Type 2 obverse adds chain mail across Liberty's torso, visible as fine cross-hatched lines covering the area from her shoulder down across her chest. The figure also sits on a higher dais than on Type 1. On the reverse, the eagle is positioned higher in the field, and three stars appear in a horizontal line below the bird, replacing three of the perimeter stars used on Type 1. The D mintmark continues above and to the left of the date on the obverse. Specifications are 6.25 grams, 24.3 millimeters in diameter, 90 percent silver and 10 percent copper, with a reeded edge. Authentication on Denver Type 2 quarters generally focuses on confirming mintmark originality and checking for the soft strike characteristics that distinguish genuine branch-mint product from any potential tampering on a Philadelphia coin.

Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS) and Numismatic Guaranty Company (NGC) populations confirm that 1917-D Type 2 quarters are plentiful through MS63 and become scarce in MS65 Full Head. Heritage Auctions and Stack's Bowers records show steady demand from set builders who need the date for both a type set of the modified design and a complete Denver run. Original luster on the issue can range from satiny to slightly subdued depending on die state. The coin pairs naturally with the 1917-D Type 1 and provides a clean side-by-side example of the mid-year design change. For the design-revision context and the Denver Mint's broader role in the series, see our Standing Liberty Quarter series history.